Yekatom and Ngaïssona Case: Confirmation of charges hearing postponed to 19 September 2019

Today, 15 May 2019, Pre-Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Court (ICC) decided to postpone the commencement of the confirmation hearing in the case The Prosecutor v. Alfred Yekatom and Patrice-Edouard Ngaïssona to 19 September 2019, instead of 18 June 2019. The Chamber granted a request of the Prosecutor for the postponement of the hearing in light of the need to ensure the protection of victims and witnesses.

The
purpose of the confirmation of charges hearing is to determine whether
there is sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds to believe
that the
person committed each of the crimes contained in the arrest warrant. If
the charges are confirmed, in full or in part, the case will be
transferred to a Trial Chamber, which will conduct the subsequent phase
of the proceedings: the trial.

Practical information:
A media advisory with further practical information on the hearing will be published in due time prior to the hearing.

Background: Alfred Yekatom is alleged
to be responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity
committed in various locations in the Central African Republic,
including Bangui and the Lobaye Prefecture, between 5 December 2013 and
August 2014, namely: murder, torture and cruel treatment,
mutilation, intentional attack against the civilian population,
intentional attack against buildings dedicated to religion, enlistment
of children under the age of 15 years and their use to participate
actively in hostilities, displacement of the civilian
population and destruction of the adversary’s property, as war crimes;
and murder, deportation or forcible transfer of population, imprisonment
or other severe deprivation of physical liberty, torture, persecution,
enforced disappearance and other inhumane
acts, as crimes against humanity. Mr Yekatom was surrendered to the ICC custody on 17 November 2018. His initial appearance before Pre-Trial Chamber II took place on 23 November 2018.

Patrice-Edouard Ngaïssona is alleged to be responsible for
war crimes
and crimes against humanity committed in various locations in the
Central African Republic between at least 5 December 2013 and at least
December 2014, namely: murder and attempted murder, torture, cruel
treatment, mutilation, intentionally directing an attack
against the civilian population, intentionally directing an attack
against personnel, installations, material, units or vehicles involved
in a humanitarian assistance, intentionally directing an attack against
buildings dedicated to religion, pillaging , enlistment
of children under the age of 15 years and their use to participate
actively in hostilities, displacement of the civilian population and
destroying or seizing the property of an adversary, as war crimes; and
murder and attempted murder, extermination, deportation
or forcible transfer of population, imprisonment or other severe
deprivation of physical liberty, torture, persecution, enforced
disappearance and other inhumane acts, as crimes against humanity. Mr
Ngaïssona was transferred to
ICC custody on 23 January 2019, following the completion of necessary national proceedings in France, where he was arrested on 12 December 2018. His initial appearance before Pre-Trial Chamber
II took place on 25 January 2019.

For
further information, please contact Fadi El Abdallah, Spokesperson and
Head of Public Affairs Unit, International Criminal Court, by telephone
at: +31
(0)70 515-9152 or +31 (0)6 46448938 or by e-mail at: fadi.el-abdallah@icc-cpi.int